Safely supporting the head and strengthening muscles of the neck following cervical spine or cervical-thoracic spine injuries is a delicate rehabilitative process. The anatomical region involved includes the occipital-cervical junction, cervicothoracic junction, cervical vertebrae, the upper thoracic vertebrae and all of the associated muscles, ligaments, tendons and other connective tissues in these regions.
The prior art includes numerous cervical orthoses designed to partially or totally immobilize the head and neck. Examples of such orthoses are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,529 to Crochrane; U.S. Pat. No. 4,520,801 to Lerman; U.S. Pat. No. 4,712,540 to Tucker; U.S. Pat. No. 5,097,824 to Garth; U.S. Pat. No. 5,575,763 to Nagata et al. The immobilization provided by these devices result in a desired spinal alignment, reduced neck muscle strain or spasm and transfer the load of the head to the shoulder area. However, these cervical orthoses create the problem of extended immobilization weakening the muscles that stabilize the head and neck. They do not permit the rotation of the head which may result in further injury to the patient.
Another example of the prior art is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,090 to Walpin. The multi-positional support device disclosed allows for support in various fixed degrees of rotation as well as small ranges of head and neck rotation. However, this device presents the problem of small ranges of head and neck rotation insufficiently exercising atrophied neck muscles to strengthen them to safely support the load of the head and allow extensive ranges of rotation of the head.
Other known cervical therapy devices, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,359 to Moore; U.S. Pat. No. 5,320,640 to Riddle et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,336,138 to Arijawat; U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,214 to Taimela; U.S. Pat. No. 6,599,257 to Al-Obaidi et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,692,451 to Splane, support the head and therapeutically exercise the neck in one or more planes. However, these cervical therapy devices are cumbersome cervical therapy devices built onto a chair or table requiring patients to visit a physical therapy facility for cervical therapy.
Known neck exercise devices such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,988,093 to Forrest et al; U.S. Pat. No. 5,360,383 to Boren; U.S. Pat. No. 5,984,836 to Casali; U.S. Pat. No. 5,997,440 to Hanoun; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,437 to Brooks, usually include a head harness or helmet of various types and resistive forces. Such exercise devices are designed to strengthen neck muscles without supporting the cervical spine and without transferring the load of the head to the shoulders. This lack of support, load transfer and use of resistive forces risk injury to patients with muscles atrophied from immobilization and insufficient strength to safely support and rotate the head against resistive forces.
Therefore, one object of this invention is to provide an adjustable device wearable during the activities of daily living that comfortably supports the cervical and upper thoracic spine. Those learned in the art recognize the importance of strengthening atrophied neck muscles in one plane of motion at a time thus reducing the risk of injury to patients.
Another object of this invention is to provide a support and therapy device that comfortably transfers the load of the head to the shoulders and upper chest of the patient.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a support and therapy device that allows the neck muscles to strengthen with successive extensive ranges of active rotation in the horizontal plane without tilting the head.
A further object of this invention is to provide a wearable, adjustable cervical orthosis that facilitates a method of cervical therapy where the head actively rotates in successive extensive ranges of horizontal rotation without tilting.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a support and therapy device having support and therapy functions that safely strengthen muscles responsible for head rotation that have atrophied by immobilization in known cervical support devices or as a result of neuromuscular disease thus permitting safe increases in the range of head rotation during treatment.
Another object of this invention is to provide a cost effective support and therapy device.
These and other objects and advantages of this invention shall become apparent from the ensuing descriptions of the invention.